1. Why Your
Customers
Stay or Stray:
Insight From Global Customer
Experience Research

2. W as it really two decades ago that “customer experience” bubbled up as a
business strategy? Then, of course, Apple, Starbucks, and others proved
beyond doubt that the right experience can trump even price in a brutal market. And
now, many industry leaders have retooled systems and retrained employees to make
“branded experience” a core competitive strategy. But with evolving technology and
growing customer savvy, this long journey has been strewn with revelations:
THEN … AND NOW …
Good service was good enough. We strive for a branded experience.
We have CRM systems, voice-of-the-
We had headsets and a phone queue. customer software, customer-interface
technology, and predictive analytics.
Experience management was a dreamy We apply hard metrics like retention,
initiative. cross-sales, and Net Promoter Score (NPS).
We all but ignored the occasional We jump through hoops and scan social
upset customer. media to reduce negative word-of-mouth.
We urge employees to read and respond
Customer interactions were all business.
to a range of customer emotions.
Top executives share their value statements,
Customer experience was a non-starter blueprints, roadmaps—and passion—with
in the C-suite. employees.
2 | WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

3. AchieveGlobal has followed these and other trends for more than 40 years, helping thousands of
organizations reframe strategy and develop employees to own the customer experience. Continuing this
research, we conducted two recent studies to see how far customer experience management has come and
how far it has to go:
1 A worldwide consumer survey revealed crucial details about real customer experiences.
A separate series of interviews with outstanding customer-contact employees identified
2 the competencies required to create the best possible experience.
If the customer’s experience today is a battlefield for business competition, then these two studies outline
a plan of attack with detailed intelligence on what to do—and what to avoid—to achieve victory.
WORLDWIDE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SURVEY
Now that industry leaders have raised the bar for all, • Forty-six percent of all respondents identified
how do customers feel about their experiences with the “rudeness or indifference,” and 50 percent identified
companies they patronize? What kind of experience “no concern for my problem” among their top
do customers really expect? And how often do unhappy three negative in-person behaviors.
customers share their stories with the world? • Only 25 percent of respondents worldwide said that
employees “make me feel they are on my side.”
We sought answers to these and other questions with
an online survey of 5,500 consumers in Asia (China, Negative Employee Behaviors
Singapore, and Taiwan), Europe (Germany and the The customer’s experience is largely defined by
U.K.), and the Americas (Brazil and the U.S.). The the words and actions of front-line employees.
survey asked consumers to describe their experiences Respondents bluntly told us what they dislike
with organizations, identify employee behaviors about these interactions:
they like and dislike, and evaluate common service
• The top three negative in-person behaviors
practices. Our aim—by comparing customer opinions
worldwide were all interpersonal, primarily
and attitudes in major world markets—was to identify
affecting the customer’s emotional response.
universal expectations that define a positive customer
experience. What follow are highlights in six areas. • The top three negative phone behaviors were all
interpersonal and varied little across global regions:
The Power of Emotion “being transferred multiple times,” “not getting
Survey respondents were extremely clear about what a real person,” and “being put on hold.”
matters, and the priority of what matters, to them. • Forty-four percent of all respondents said employees
What matters most is the emotional impact of their demonstrate poor behavior by “often” or “always”
interactions with front-line employees: using “scripted or canned” responses.
• In every country surveyed, respondents told us that • More than forty percent worldwide said they get
being heard and respected are more important than annoyed when an employee “talks to me about things
having their issue resolved. other than the problem I am trying to resolve,” for
example upselling or cross-selling.
WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH | 3

4. Customer Defection
Market leaders have recalibrated customer
expectations about the character of one-to-one SURVEY IMPLICATIONS
interactions with employees. How likely are customers These findings coalesce around one point:
to punish a company for failing to
The interpersonal skills of employees ultimately make
meet those expectations?
• Fifty percent of all U.S. respondents were or break the customer experience. Employees must
“somewhat” to “very” likely to defect to a read customers’ emotions, express empathy, listen
competitor after a single bad experience.
carefully, and above all show genuine respect and
• Ninety-three percent worldwide would defect
to another company after three or fewer bad care during every interaction. In light of changing
experiences. customer expectations and the rising power of
• Nearly 40 percent of all respondents worldwide have social media, we identified three core concepts
posted negative online reviews.
at the foundation of an exceptional customer
Preferred Forms of Communication experience: defining moments, customer needs,
From the organization’s point of view, automated
telephone technology solves business problems and global expectations.
and saves money. What about the customer’s point
of view?
• Human interaction remains extremely important
to customers on the phone, with 47 percent of all
respondents reporting that they’re annoyed by
“not getting a real person when I call.”
• Reinforcing the need for human contact, most
respondents prefer to communicate by telephone
(43 percent) or in person (37 percent), compared
with e-mail (18 percent) or text (2 percent).
In Their Own Words
Over 3,000 written comments from survey
respondents added texture to country-specific and
combined scores. These comments reinforced the
overall trends:
• The top two negative employee behaviors
mentioned were “being rude” (in 23 percent
of comments) and a “canned, scripted, or fake”
response (17 percent).
• The top two positive behaviors were “apologize”
(in 28 percent of comments) and “be nice”
(17 percent).
• Of the top six positive behaviors referenced in the
comments, the only one not meeting an emotional
need placed fifth: “fix the problem.”
4 | WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

5. %
93
of consumers worldwide would
defect to another company after
three or fewer bad experiences.
%
50
of all U.S. respondents were
“somewhat” to “very” likely
to defect to a competitor after
a single bad experience.
WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH | 5

6. THREE CORE CONCEPTS OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
1. Defining Moments 3. Global Expectations
Survey respondents described the impact on them of Even as it measured the importance of human needs,
various defining moments during 1:1 interactions. In the AchieveGlobal survey also highlighted the need
each defining moment, a customer forms a judgment, for execution in meeting business needs. So we asked,
positive or negative, about an employee or entire “What are customers’ baseline expectations of their
organization. Positive defining moments support interactions with employees?” To answer, we distilled
customer satisfaction, favorable word of mouth the range of survey results into four global expectations.
(today magnified exponentially by social media), and
organizational success. Every customer, in every interaction, expects:
• Respect. As confirmed in every market we surveyed,
Greeting a customer, asking or answering a question, customers expect caring, individual attention in all
offering options, or resolving a problem are all defining interactions.
moments. While some moments are more important
than others, each affects the customer’s overall • Simplicity. Customers dislike complex processes
experience and either builds or damages loyalty. and generally want to be spared the details of internal
activities and issues. Yet many customers do want to
2. Customer Needs hear about high-level next steps to meet their needs.
Our survey respondents clearly articulated two • Solutions. Customers expect an employee to make
major categories of needs: an honest effort to resolve or help them resolve their
issues, whether by correcting mistakes, offering
options, or flexing policies in approved ways.
• Responsibility. Even if interpersonal skills are the
foundation for positive defining moments, a customer
HUMAN experience sours quickly without timely delivery of
NEEDS
exactly what is promised.
So our survey confirmed the importance of three core
BUSINESS concepts: defining moments, human and business
NEEDS needs, and global customer expectations. But how do
outstanding employees apply these concepts to create
the best possible experience?
• Human needs for respect, understanding, and
individual attention. As noted, the survey confirmed
the importance of human needs to customers
worldwide.
• Business needs for products, services, and issue
resolution. Efficiently meeting business needs
certainly remains important for business success.
What can we take from this distinction? To give
customers the best possible experience of your
organization, front-line employees must identify and
meet both types of needs in every interaction with every
customer.
6 | WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

7. More than 40% worldwide said
they get annoyed when an employee
“talks to me about things other than
the problem I am trying to resolve,
for example upselling or cross-selling.”
In every country surveyed, respondents
told us that being heard and respected
are more important than having
their issue resolved.
WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH | 7

8. TOP PERFORMER INTERVIEWS
To identify front-line capabilities that support a modern • 5. Manage difficult conversations. When a
customer-experience strategy, we asked leaders in major mistake angers a customer, these professionals
global markets to nominate their top customer-contact avoid blaming anyone—the organization, another
employees. We then interviewed these employees employee, and most of all the customer. They
to answer the underlying question, “What do top defuse the tension before moving to resolve the
employees do that others don’t do, or don’t do as well?” issue. If a customer’s complaint is justified, they
Finally, we analyzed the interview transcripts to isolate apologize. Said a service team lead, “We try to live
big-picture competencies that create exceptional through our clients. If we would want an apology,
experiences for customers all over the world. that’s what we provide.”
• 6. Empathize. Outstanding employees know
In summary, we learned that the best employees:
how to walk in their customers’ shoes. They
• 1. Build relationships. Even within tight time communicate sincere understanding, even if the
limits, these employees communicate warmly. customer is at fault, with body language and/or
They use the customer’s name and ask thoughtful voice tone that validates the customer’s
business and appropriate personal questions. emotion, whether anger, fear, confusion, or joy.
The resulting bi-level connection helps employees Said one employee, “You hear it in their voice.
shape their interaction with each unique customer. Something’s wrong. So you empathize, and it’s
“I just ask questions,” said a seasoned representative. more than just business.”
“If you understand what a customer needs, business
• 7. Avoid problems. These employees not only
and personal, you normally get a good outcome.”
resolve customer issues, they also prevent issues
• 2. Listen attentively. These employees listen from recurring. They address questions, find
actively, both noting and exhibiting non-verbal answers, say what they will do, and do it. Then
and/or verbal cues to draw out the customer. They they share what they’ve learned with colleagues
avoid “getting hooked” by complaints or pointed to improve the experience for other customers.
feedback, justified or not, that less-experienced “I tell customers, this is how it happened,” said a
employees might take personally. One experienced field engineer, “and this is what we’ll do to make
employee’s advice: “If a customer is irritable or sure it doesn’t happen again.”
petulant, just remember and focus; they’re not
• 8. Learn continuously. Finally, effective employees
angry at you!”
never stop learning about their own organization,
• 3. Gather information. On the business side, products, and services. And they keep learning
outstanding employees probe carefully with open about customers—both individuals and industry
and closed questions to uncover crucial details, segments—to predict and meet likely future
reveal hidden needs, or, when a problem occurs, needs. Said a call-center employee, “If you really
find out what happened. When required, they understand what your customers want, you
seek out information and promptly inform the connect with them on a level that your
customer. “I try hard to find out what’s going on,” competitors can’t even imagine.”
said a younger employee. “Then I provide exactly
the right information.” These eight competencies imply training that transfers
• 4. Communicate clearly. When an issue arises, best practices—concepts and step-by-step skills—
effective employees take initiative to explain to develop new employees. While some employees
what happened in terms that a customer are naturally predisposed to own the customer’s
understands. They clearly say what they know and experience, these practical skills can be mastered by
don’t know about a situation. Said a long-time call- any employee capable of what we might call the capstone
center representative, “You provide as much detail competency: emotional effort.
as the customer wants around what happened and
why. If a solution is needed, you move on it.”
8 | WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

9. According to consumers,
the top two positive employee
behaviors were “apologize”
(in 28% of comments)
and “be nice”(17%).
The top two negative employee behaviors
mentioned were “being rude”
(in 23% of comments) and a “canned,
scripted, or fake” response (17%).
WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH | 9

10. EMOTIONAL EFFORT
Both AchieveGlobal studies confirmed that, to meet the human needs of their customers,
effective employees must display specific emotions that customers expect during an interaction.
A confused customer may expect kindness, for example; an angry customer may expect urgent
concern; and so on. This “emotional effort” and the stress it causes employees have been well
researched for more than 20 years. Studies confirm that the challenge of emotional effort is that
employees may not actually feel the expected emotion, such as empathy for customers who
cause their own problems.
As a result, employees often engage in one of two forms of “acting”:
EMOTIONAL EFFORT
Surface Acting Deep Acting
Emotional Disconnect Emotional Memory
Increased Stress Reduced Stress
Negative Defining Moment Positive Defining Moment
Surface Acting Deep Acting
Employees pretend to feel the expected Employees—recalling one of their
emotion. Surface acting increases stress own “emotional memories” similar to
in the employee by decoupling what is a customer’s situation—both feel and
felt from what is expressed. This form of express the expected emotion. Deep
acting also contributes to customers’ global acting, because it’s genuine, is much
disdain for “scripted or canned” responses. more likely to create a positive defining
moment.
Remarkably, numerous studies have found that, compared to surface acting, deep acting
actually reduces the stress of emotional effort in customer-contact roles. 1
1
AchieveGlobal uses the term “emotional effort” in place of the research term “emotional labor.” For recent findings on the stress of emotional effort, see Jessica R Mesmer-Magnus, Leslie A.
DE Church, Amy M. Wax, Kristin T. Andersen, “Dissonance Matters: Meta-Analytic Examination of the Consequences of Emotional Labor,” Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy of
Management (2011).
10 | WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

11. THE WAY FORWARD
AchieveGlobal’s two worldwide studies strongly endorse the value of the
core concepts and competencies outlined in this research summary.
Our findings in a nutshell:
A successful customer-experience strategy requires employees who
make the emotional effort to meet the relevant human and business
needs of every customer. The resulting positive defining moments
give customers everywhere what market leaders have taught them
to expect: simplicity, solutions, responsibility, and respect.
We’ve learned much, and we have much to learn, on the journey to a reliably
positive customer experience. Customer-friendly policies are important.
Current technology is important. Leadership is important. Skills training is
important. Culture change—from an inside-out to an outside-in view of the
business—is vitally important. But none of these matter without employees
who daily make the emotional effort to own their customers’ experience.
For, precisely at the point of human contact, front-line employees give life
to the lessons of research.
WHY YOUR CUSTOMERS STAY OR STRAY: INSIGHT FROM GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH | 11

12. About AchieveGlobal
In the 21st century, the level of human skills will
determine organization success. AchieveGlobal
provides exceptional development in interpersonal
business skills, giving companies the workforce they
need for business results. Located in over 40 countries,
we offer multi-language, learning-based solutions—
globally, regionally, and locally.
We understand the competition you face. Your success
depends on people who have the skills to handle the
challenges beyond the reach of technology. We’re
experts in developing these skills, and it’s these skills
that turn your strategies into business success in the
21st century.
These are things technology can’t do. Think. Learn.
Solve problems. Listen. Motivate. Explain. People with
these skills have a bright future in the 21st century.
AchieveGlobal prepares you for that world.
World Headquarters
8875 Hidden River Parkway, Suite 400
Tampa, Florida 33637 USA
Toll Free: 800.456.9390
www.achieveglobal.com
© 2013 AchieveGlobal, Inc. M01417 v. 1.0 (01/2013)